Cricket Australia has unveiled the fixtures and venues for next summer’s new-look Big Bash League, with the condensed 44-match tournament getting underway on December 7.
Each team will play ten regular season matches before a four-game finals series, wrapping up with the BBL Final on January 24. Foxtel and Kayo will broadcast all 44 matches, including ten exclusives.
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The 13th edition of the BBL features more prime-time matches during the school holidays, with fewer early afternoon games. Meanwhile, only four teams will progress through to the finals series under the new format, placing greater emphasis on the regular season.
Seven matches have been scheduled ahead of the Perth Test against Pakistan, at which point the Big Bash takes a five-day break before returning on December 19. Meanwhile, the Christmas Eve fixture has been scrapped.
Melbourne derbies will take place at the MCG and Marvel Stadium on January 2 and January 13 respectively, while Sydney franchises will face off at Sydney Showground on December 30 and at the SCG on January 12.
Adelaide will once again host the New Year’s Eve fixture, with the Strikers taking on the Melbourne Stars at Adelaide Oval.
The BBL final is scheduled between Australia’s two Tests against the West Indies at Adelaide Oval and the Gabba, meaning the Strikers and Brisbane Heat may be required to play at an alternative venue if they earn hosting rights.
Because of the Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, which concludes in late November, Australia’s Test summer overlaps with the BBL, meaning the likes of Steve Smith and Pat Cummins won’t be available for the popular T20 competition. However, for future home summers not impacted by ICC events, Cricket Australia won’t schedule Tests after the SCG New Year’s fixture, creating a window in January for Test stars to play Big Bash cricket.
Meanwhile, because there’s less overlap with rival T20 leagues, including South Africa’s SA20 and the United Arab Emirates’ ILT20, international players are expected to be available for a larger portion of the competition.
It comes after several Big Bash cricketers, including Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell, voiced their frustration with the competition’s length after it was expanded to 61 matches five years ago. The 2018/19 tournament ran for nearly two months finishing several weeks after kids had returned to school. The BBL’s expansion coincided with a decline in crowd numbers, while overseas talent became reluctant to commit to the entire tournament.
“With the season starting a week earlier than usual this season, we’ve got a tremendous opportunity to engage with communities and connect with fans across seven blockbuster nights of Big Bash ahead of the first Men’s Test in Perth,” General Manager of Big Bash Leagues Alistair Dobson said in a statement.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the new finals structure in action, culminating in a prime-time Final during school holidays which is a real win for fans.”
BBL 13 FIXTURES
All times AEDT
Thursday, December 7 – Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars, Gabba, 7:15pm
Friday, December 8 – Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Renegades, SCG, 7:15pm
Saturday, December 9 – Adelaide Strikers vs Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm
Sunday, December 10 – Melbourne Renegades vs Perth Scorchers, GMHBA Stadium, 7:15pm
Monday, December 11 – Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Sixers, University of Tasmania Stadium, 7:15pm
Tuesday, December 12 – Sydney Thunder vs Brisbane Heat, Manuka Oval, 7:15pm
Wednesday, December 13 – Melbourne Stars vs Perth Scorchers, MCG, 7:15pm
Tuesday, December 19 – Adelaide Strikers vs Sydney Thunder, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm
Wednesday, December 20 – Perth Scorchers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Optus Stadium, 7:15pm
Thursday, December 21 – Melbourne Renegades vs Brisbane Heat, Marvel Stadium, 7:15pm
Friday, December 22 – Sydney Sixers vs Adelaide Strikers, SCG, 7:15pm
Saturday, December 23 – Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Thunder, Lavington Sports Ground, 3:30pm
Saturday, December 23 – Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Renegades, Blundstone Arena, 7:15pm
Tuesday, December 26 – Sydney Sixers vs Melbourne Stars, SCG, 6:05pm
Tuesday, December 26 – Perth Scorchers vs Melbourne Renegades, Optus Stadium, 9:15pm
Wednesday, December 27 – Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Thunder, Gabba, 7:15pm
Thursday, December 28 – Hobart Hurricanes vs Melbourne Stars, Blundstone Arena, 7:15pm
Friday, December 29 – Melbourne Renegades vs Adelaide Strikers, Marvel Stadium, 7:15pm
Saturday, December 30 – Sydney Thunder vs Sydney Sixers, Sydney Showground, 7:15PM
Sunday, December 31 – Adelaide Strikers vs Melbourne Stars, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm
Monday, January 1 – Hobart Hurricanes vs Sydney Thunder, Blundstone Arena, 4pm
Monday, January 1 – Brisbane Heat vs Sydney Sixers, Gabba, 7:15pm
Tuesday, January 2 – Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades, MCG, 7:15pm
Wednesday, January 3 – Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat, C.ex Coffs International Stadium, 6:05pm
Wednesday, January 3 – Perth Scorchers vs Adelaide Strikers, Optus Stadium, 9:15pm
Thursday, January 4 – Melbourne Renegades vs Hobart Hurricanes, Marvel Stadium, 7:15pm
Friday, January 5 – Adelaide Strikers vs Perth Scorchers, Adelaide Oval, 7:15pm
Saturday, January 6 – Melbourne Stars vs Sydney Sixers, MCG, 7:15pm
Sunday, January 7 – Brisbane Heat vs Hobart Hurricanes, Gabba, 7:15pm
Monday, January 8 – Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers Sydney, Showground, 7:15pm
Tuesday, January 9 – Adelaide Strikers vs Hobart Hurricanes, Adelaide Oval, 7:40pm
Wednesday, January 10 – Brisbane Heat vs Perth Scorchers, Gabba, 7:40pm
Thursday, January 11 – Hobart Hurricanes vs Adelaide Strikers, Blundstone Arena, 7:15pm
Friday, January 12 – Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunder, SCG, 7:15pm
Saturday, January 13 – Perth Scorchers vs Brisbane Heat, Optus Stadium, 4:15pm
Saturday, January 13 – Melbourne Renegades vs Melbourne Stars, Marvel Stadium, 7:30pm
Sunday, January 14 – Sydney Thunder vs Adelaide Strikers, Manuka Oval, 7:15pm
Monday, January 15 – Melbourne Stars vs Hobart Hurricanes, MCG, 7:15pm
Tuesday, January 16 – Perth Scorchers vs Sydney Sixers Optus, Stadium, 7:40pm
Wednesday, January 17 – Sydney Thunder vs Melbourne Renegades, Sydney Showground, 7:15pm
Friday, January 19 – The Qualifier, TBC
Saturday, January 20 – The Knockout, TBC
Monday, January 22 – The Challenger, TBC
Wednesday, January 24 – The Final, TBC
Bancroft signs with Sydney Thunder | 00:24
